Processing machine



Oct. 11, 1949. s. A. BROWN ET AL PROCESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 8, 1945 Patented Oct. 11,1949

" PROCESSING MACHINE "Bernard A. "Brown and Hooper J. Houck; Dayton, Ohio; assignors to'General Motors Corporation, Detroit; Mich.; a corporation of1)elawtre Application October 8, 1945, Serial No..620364 8'*Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for processing work pieces.

It is among the objects .of the present invention to provide a work,pieceprcessingmachineWhich not only substantiafly.rduces spoilage. or. scrap but .practically eliminatesv it independently 'of the operator.

A further object of the present inventionis to provide a machine for processing Work, pieces which cannotbe..operatedas long as the work piece is not properl secured.in the machine relativeiy to the processing tool.thereof.

A still further object.of the present invention is to provide a-machine.fonprocessing work pieces -with a fixture for-.receiving and holding said work pieces in proper position relatively totheprocessingtoc]. If flirt, foreign particles or unfinished parts of the work piece preventits proper fitting in the fixture, which=.would.disturb-itsproper alignment with the processingtool, the :machine cannot .be started and a* ruinousoperation is thereby prevented.

Further objectsand advantages of the-present invention W111 be apparent from the following description,.reference.being had tothe accom panying drawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present. invention .is clear1y: shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 isa perspective viewof-a bearing one type of work. pieceto beoperated;upon.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.of :the fixturein which the bearing is nested while being operated upon.

Fig. 3 .is afront view into the fixture.

Fig. 4; is an enlarged, fragmentary section taken along the .line 4-4 :of :Fig. 2-with the.bearing added to show howthe pressureduct.inthe=fixture is closed by the.bearing.

Fig. 5 -is a diagrammatic view ,of a. machine equipped with the.present invention.

Fig. 6 is a.fragmentary.plan view .of certain parts of Fig- 1.

Fig. 7 is a ragmentam .sectiona1 view taken along the line il ofFig. 3 with'the bearing and -clamping ram added.

For purposes of illustration and.description, the invention isshownapplied to a machine for trimming the two edge portions of a semi-cylindrical bearing element 213. It.wi1l, of.course, be understood that the invention may beused on any type of machine adapted.to operatein any manner upon any formof work.piece held in properpositien relatively to the operating tool.

The bearing hastwo openings 12|. When properiyfinishedfihe two edges'22 and. 23 must hein a1ign andequidistant at ail 'points"fromthe -.-2 vertex of the bearing. Before this present operatien, that is, the trimnflng ofzthe edges; the bearing was formed andShaped and the openings 2l provided therin. -If a bearing is spoiled by the present operation, then valuable time and material expendd to produce :the bearing up to this point, will-have been twasted. The present machine eliminates such wastage.by assuring proper positioning of the work piece or bearing.relative1y to the operating tool before the machine may even be started.

Figs. 2' and: 3'i11ustrate the fixture in which the hearing is nestedvvhen operatedupon. Figs. 4 and 5 show this fixture securedin the.machine and Fig. 7 shows the' bearing 2). clamped.in the 'fixture. Asshown'iriFigs. 2 and.3, the fixture 24 is a rectangulargbiock having a substantia1ly smi- Circu1ar recess*25 provided in .its onesurface into which the bearing2snugly.fits so that its two edges 22and 23 extend beyond the surface 26 Of the fixture .as *sho'wn inFig. 7. The. semicircuiar.surface of recess' 25 has two sets. of s1ots or grooves 21,L28;29 and 31, 38; 39, one set adjacentthe top edge of the 'fixture,.the other. set near the bottom edge thereOf. The center. grooves 29 and 39 of each set, respectively, terminate short of. the surface 26' of. the fixture while the grooves 21-28. and 31'38 spad on each. side of the center grooves 23 and39 respectively, terminate in .the surface 26 Ofthe fixture. .Ihus when the bearing.is snugly nestd in the fixtureasshown in Eig. 7, the center .grooves29 and39 are closed complete1y .while. the grooves 21-28 and 313.8 are open at.the surface .26 of the. fixture. and .communicate With atmosphere. A -duct 30 leads from,groove 29 into' an enlarged recess 3! in the top side of the.fixtnrewhich recess.is adapted to receivelan air pressure.pipe as .WI1. later be .described. A similar.duct.4 connectsflgroove 39 with said recess-3l. The; numeral 4l designates two small humps in the curved surface of recess 25, s0 spaced as to enter the openings 2l whenthe bearing is nested in.the fixture.

.The'Figsfi5 andfi ..dia.grammaticafly show the machine as.comx)rising a stationary base.or frame 45,.the platiorm 4650i which provides slide-ways 41.. in which the fiXture holder '48 is slidabiy.secred. 'This holder is so constructed and arranged thatgthe fiXture 24,. securely held therein, is readily accessibldtdthe operator for insertion of the bearing 20 intothe fixture.

A cylinder5 isrgidly secured to the platform 46, said cylinder having a piston,- not shown, to which is securd thepiston rod5l extending from the icylinder. Thefixturholder 48 is fastened to the piston rod 5l so that hydraulic pressure, when introduced into the cylinder 50, urges the piston and its rod 5l outwardly to move the fixture carrier or holder 48 in the slideway 41 toward the right as regards Figs. 5 and 6.

In order to clamp the work piece, the bearing 20 in this instance, rigidly in the fixture 25, a spring loaded abutment block 55 is provided, said block having a mushroom-shaped head 56 and a stem 51 which is secured to the main body portion but slidably carried in a recess 59 provided by the body of the machine frame 45. The body 58 is recessed to receive a spring, 60 interposed between the body 58 and the inside wall of recess 59. The rounded end surface of the head 56 conforms with and fits the inner contour of bearing 29 so that when the fixture'holder 48 is urged along the slide-way 41 by the hydraulicall'y actuated piston and rod 5l, the bearing 20 in the fixture 24. Will be tightly clamped therein by the abutment block 55 as shown in Fig. 7. When the end of the body 58 engages the end wall of recess 59, the bearing 20, clamped between the mushroom-shaped head 55 of abutment block 55 and the fixture 24, is in the proper processing position relatively to the processing tool 15. The spring 60 is sufilciently heavy as to exert the force necessary to hold the abutment block against the bearing 20 and clamp it rigidly in the fixture.

The present drawings illustrate the processing tool 15 as a broach having tWo cutting portions 15a and 1517 which operate upon the respective edges 22 and 23 of bearing 20 when the tool is actuated. T001 15 is connected to the rod 16 which in turn is secured to a piston, not shown, slidable in the cylinder 11. This cylinder il is secured in the lug 18 on machine frame 45.

Both cylinders 50 and 11 have pistons and rods 5! and 16 respectively, which are moved by the introduction of fluid or hydraulic pressure into said cylinders. Cylinder 50 has a pipe 89 leading into it, said pipe being connected also with the manually operable valve 8! which has a pipe 82 connecting the valve With the source of fluid or hydraulic pressure, not shown, and an exhaust pipe 83. A lever 84 is shiftable into"one position to connect the pipes 83 and 80 so that fiuid pressure passes through the valve into cylinder 59 t actuate its piston and rod l towardthe right as regards Figs. '5 and 6,,or it may be shifted to another position to connect pipes 51 and 83 to permit the fluid pressure in thebylinder 59 to exhaustand permit the piston and rod 5! to be returned to normal position. When the lever 84 is in the position as illustrated' the valve is closed.

A pipe 85 leads from cylinder 50 to a sequence valve 86 of any well known construction. Another pipe 81 leads from the sequence Valve 86 to the normally closed valve 88 which is also connected with the cylinder 11 by a pipe 89. Valve 88 has an operating arm 9| to which the movable stem 92 of the electric solenoid actuator 93 is attached. A pipe 9!) is connected to the hydraulic cylinder and, dependent upon the system used, may exhaust the pressure within cylinder 17 or introduce pressure into the cylinder 711, to return the processing tool to its normal'position after it has cOmpleted its processing of the work piece.

One terminal of the solenoid 93 is connected to one power line LI, the other terminal having wire 94 connected thereto which wire leads to one terminal of. the micro switch 95 which is normally 58. This body portion is non-rotatablv stance, in the fixture 4 in open circuit position. Wire 96 connects the other terminal of switch with the other power line L2.

The microswitch 95, normally open, is closed by the actuation of the rod 98. A fluid pressure actuated device 99, of any suitable standard maire, has the rod 98 connected thereto so that when a predetermined fiuid pressure is applied to the device 99, it Will actuate saidrod to close the microswitch 95.

Any suitable source '10 of predetermined fiuid pressure is connected with a coupling ll from which two pipes m2 and 103 lead, one to a pressure gauge IM and from said gauge to the recess 3l in the fixture 24, the other pipe [93, to the pressureactuated device 99.

The fragmentary, sectional view, Fig. 4, shows the bearing 29 fitting snugly against the inner, arcuate wall of the fixture 24. A perfectly fitting work piece or bearing 29 would completely shut off the central groove or duct 29from the ducts 37 and 98 and therefore any fluid pressure introduced into the central duct 29 from the source of fluid pressure in through pipe 102 andduct 30 would be entirely confined in these passages inasmuch as no leak from. duct 29 'is present. Thus the entire predetermined fiuid pressure delivered from source ma is directed to the device 99 to operate it.

In commercial production all bearings or work pieces will not perfectly fit the fixture so as to preclude pressure leaks from the ducts 29 and 39. Imperfectly fitting work pieces and fixtures provide leaks from said ducts. Therefore certain tolerances are set which allows limited imperfections causing predetermined leakage of fluid pressure from ducts 29 and 39. Leakage from ducts 29 and 39, in excess of said predetermined amount, indicates conditions which result in the production of a non-usable work piece or bearing and therefore scrap. Assuming that a 25 pound fluid pressure is delivered from the source [90, any leakage from ducts 29 and 39 which. would reduce the fiuid pressure a predetermined amont, say for instance4 pounds, would not interfere with the processing of the work piece.

However, if theleakage exceeds thispredetermined amount the reduction in fluid pressure, delivered to the fluid pressureactuated device 99, prevents its being actuated, for device 99 in this instance is set to be actuated at 2! pressure pounds or more but not less.

The machine functions in the following manner: Normally the fixture holder 48 is in a position in which it holds the fixture 24 spaced from the abutment block 55. Spring 60 normally maintains the body 58, to which block 55 is attached, so that the inner end of the body 58 is spaced from the inner end of the recess 59. The operator places a work piece, bearing 20 in this in- 24 so that it snugly nests therein. Then the operator actuates the valve :lever 84 so that hydraulic or fiuid pressure from the supply pipe 82 may be directed through valve the piston therein. This pressure causes the pis,- ton and its rod 5l to move outwardly, toward the right as regards Figs. 5 and 6 thereby slidably moving the holder 48 in slide-way 41 so that the work piece 29 in the fixture 24 is brought into engagement With the head 56 'of the abutment block 55. This movement of the holder 48 and its contained fixture and work piece continues, moving the abutment block 55 .into the recess, 59 against the effect of spring 60 until the end of the processing tool; control mechanism operative to apply the power to said means; means actuated by fiuid pressure to operate the control mechanism; and a source of fiud pressure connected to both the fiuid pressure actuated means and the grooves in the fixture, the fluid pressure op erating the pressure actuated means when the work piece is properly nested in the fixture, and being reduced to a degree insuficient to operate said pressure actuated means when an improperly nested work piece permits a predetermined fiuid pressure leak from the grooves in the fixture.

5. In a machine for processing a work piece,

-the combination with a processing tool for operating on the work piece; of a fixture in which the work piece 15 nested and held in proper position relatively to the processing.tool, said fixture having grooves substantially closed to atmosphere by the work piece when it; is properly nested in the fixture; an hydraulic ram for actuating the processing toc]; a normally closed valve operative to direct hydraulic pressure to the ram for actuating it; a solenoid for operating the valve; a switch for controlling the solenoid; a pressure actuated device for closing the switch; a source of fluid pressure connected to the said device and 'to the grooves in the fixture, said fiuid pressure being reduced below the required amount to operate the said device when the work pieceis improperly nested in the fixture and permits a pressure leakfrom the grooves in said fixture; and a manually operated control for directing hydraulic pressure to the valve.

6. In a machine for processing a work piece, the combination With a processing tool for operating on the work piece; of a fixture. in which the work piece is nested and held in proper posiq v tion relatively to the processing tool, said fixture having grooves substantially closed to atmosphere by the work piece when it is properly nested in the fixture; an hydraulically actuated clamp for holding the work piece in the fixture; an hydraulic ram for actuating the processing tool; a normally closed valve operative to direct hydraulic pressure to the ram for actuating it; a manually operable valve for directing hydraulic pressure to the clamp; a valve renderd efiective by complete operation of the clamp to directthe -hydraulic pressure to the valve; an electric solenoid for actuat1ng the valve to open it; a normally open switch connectedin circuit with the solenoid; a pressure actuated device connected to the switch for closing it; and a source of fiuid pressure connected to both the said device and the grooves in the fixture, said fiuid pressure be-' ing. sufficient t actuate the device only when proper seating of the work piece in the fixture substantially closed said grooves.

7."In a machine for processing a work piece, the combination with a processing tool for operating on said work piece; of a clamping fixture in which the work piece is nested to hold it in proper position relatively to the processing toc]; a groove in said fixture, said groove being closed by the work piece when it is properly nested in the fixture; an actuating device operated by fluid pressure; a source of fluid pressure connected to both the groove in the fixture and the actuating device, said fluid pressure operating the actuating device only when the properly seated work piece closes the groove in the fixture; an actuator for the fixture t0 clamp the work piece therein; an actuator for the processing toc]; a source of fluid pressure connected to both actuators; a valve normally closing the fiuid pressure from the processing tool actuator; and means connected to the said actuating device and to the valve and operative by the actuating device to open the valve and render the actuator of the processing 13001 active.

8. In a machine for processing a work piece, the combination with a processing tool for operating on said work piece; of a fixture in which the work piece is nested and clamped to hold it in proper position relatively to the processing tool; a groove in said fixture, closed by the work piece when it s properly nested and clamped in the fixture; pressure actuated means for operating both the fixture and the processing 13001; a fiuid pressure supply; a manually operable member for connecting the pressure supply with the pressure actuated means to rentier them active; a valve normally closing the pressure supply from the processing tool actuating means; control mechanism connected to the valve; a pressure controlled actuator for said control mechanism; and a second pressure supply connected With the fixture groove and the pressure controlled actuator, said second pressure supply becoming effective to operate the actuator for moving the control mechanism to open the valve only when the groove in the fixture is closed. 4

BERNARD A. BROWN. HOOPER J. HOUCK.

REFEREN CES. CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,591 Bullard Dec. 8, 1931 1,905,094 Hirvonen Apr. 25, 1933 1,939,038 Bower et al Dec. 12, 1933 

